Outboard motor having tow line device



N Re. 24,511

LINE DEVICE Aug. 5, 1958 D. R. MADISO OUTBOARD MOTOR HAVING TOW ANDMETHOD FOR TOWI Original Filed Sept. 17

. INVENTOR.

Darn WK]! 022 Arrow [yr United States Patent O OUTBOARD MOTOR HAVING TOWLINE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TOWING Darwin R. Madison, Brainerd, Minn.

Original No. 2,764,118, dated September 25, 1956, Serial No. 456,683,September 17, 1954. Application for reissue February 25, 1958, SerialNo. 718,109

9 Claims. (Cl. 115-17) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets II] appears inthe original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification;matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

My invention relates to improvements in outboard marine motors. Morespecifically, my invention provides a novel tow line attaching means forsecuring the tow line for use in water skiing, surfboard riding and thelike.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a novel tow lineattaching means which includes a conventional-type outboard motorpivotally and detachably secured to the transom board of a boat so thatwhen the tow line is secured thereto the forces created in pulling a towis relieved from the transom of the towing boat and is directed againstthe drive shaft housing of the motor closely adjacent the longitudinalaxis of the propeller of the motor.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel tow lineattaching means, of the type described, which secures a tow line to thedrive shaft housing of the conventional-type outboard motor so that theconnection is disposed in longitudinally rearwardly spaced relation toand traversely centrally of the boat transom board.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a novel tow line attachingmeans, of the type described, which by specifically locating theconnection of the tow line to the drive shaft housing of a conventionaloutboard motor facilitates the steering of the boat and the maneuveringof the boat controls while under tow.

A further object of my invention is a method of securing a-tow to a boatwhereby the resultant pull created by the tow is transmittedsubstantially directly to the propeller of the outboard motor whichpowers the boat.

More specifically, the objects of my invention comprise in combiningwith a conventional-type outboard motor a securing means for attachingthe tow line directly to the drive shaft housing of the motor so thatthe connection of the line to the housing is made intermediate thepivotal-detachable connection of the motor to the boat transom and thepropeller on the lower end of the drive shaft housing.

A still further object of my invention is to modify existingconventional-type outboard motors in accordance with the inventiveconcept disclosed herein, by combining with the motor a novel tow ropesecuring bracket detachably secured to the drive shaft housing of theconventional outboard motor above the water line, but below thehorizontal pivotal connection of the outboard motor to thetransom-engaging inverted U-shaped clamp thereof.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class described which is readily securable to and removable from adrive shaft of a conventional outboard marine motor, which has a minimumof parts, but which is rugged and durable in construction.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class described which is provided with a metallic ring or loop forquick reception of a hookequipped rope or tow cable.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a fixed towline securing device, of the class described,

Re. 24,511 Reissued Aug. 5, 1958 which when a tow line is applied to thedrive shaft housing of an outboard marine motor, will not tend to movevertically thereof and will not mark or scuff the finish thereon.

From the above recited objects it is apparent that an additional objectof my invention is a new and novel method of pulling a tow load by aboat equipped with a conventional outboard motor by securing a tow linedirectly to the drive shaft housing of the outboard motor intermediatethe pivotal connection of the outboard motor to the transom board of theboat and the propeller of the outboard motor so that a material part ofthe resultant pull which is created by the tow is transmittedsubstantially directly to the propeller of the motor and not to the boattransom board.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed speci fication, attached drawing andappended claims.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view inside elevation of a boat having the improved outboardmotor secured thereto; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section and partly in top plan, asseen from line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the letter Aindicates in its entirety a boat, to the transom of which theconventional inverted U-shaped clamping means 1 of the pivotal-type foran outboard motor 2 is secured. The numeral 3 indicates the drive shafthousing of the motor 2, to the reduced intermediate portion of which(above the water line but below the clamp 1) my novel clamping bracket,identified in its entirety by the numeral 4, is secured.

As shown in Fig. 2, my novel device comprises front and rear cooperatingLl-shaped sections 5 and 6, respectively, which together form a clampingring. Sections 5 and 6 are preferably formed from sheet steel or thelike and, as shown, have rigidly secured, as by vulcanization to theirinterior surfaces, liners 7 of compressible rubber-like material. Therear section 6 is shown as having rigidly secured to its intermediateportion 8, by welding or the like so as to project horizontallyrearwardly therefrom, a metallic loop or ring 9, which as shown, iscircular in cross section and has transverse dimensions less than thetransverse width of the U-sections 5--6 of the collar and [is] has acentral opening therethrough adapted to detachably receive a hook orhasp 10 of a tow line 11. Preferably, and as shown, the front and rearclamping sections 5 and 6 have their opposite end portions outturned toprovide parallel clamping ears 12, through which nut-equipped clampingbolts 13 are adapted to extend.

When my novel device is applied to the drive shaft housing 3 of anoutboard motor, as shown in Fig. 1, the tow rope 11 is completely freefrom entanglement with the propeller 14. In all other respects, myinvention has been found to be completely satisfactory for theaccomplishment of the above objects; and while I have disclosed apreferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that my inventionis capable of modification without departure from the scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an outboard motor having a depending drive shaft housing,propelling means adjacent one end of the housing, pivotal securing meansadjacent the other end of the housing for detachably anchoring the motorto a boat transom for rearward upwardly swinging movements of thepropelling means equipped end of the housing, the improvementcomprising, a tow line attaching means on said housing intermediate thepropelling means and pivotal securing means.

2. In an outboard motor having a dependingflrive shaft housing,propelling means adjacent one end of the housing, pivotal securing meansadjacent the other "end of the housing for detachably, pivotallyanchoring the motor to a boat transom, the improvement comprising, .atow line attaching means on said housing intermediate the propellingmeans and pivotal securing means anddisposed substantially in a verticalplane common to the longitudinal axis of said propelling means.

3. The method of pulling a tow load by'a boathaving a conventionaloutboard motor including a propeller equipped drive shaft housingpivotally anchored to the boat transom board, the method comprisingsecuring a tow line directly to the drive shaft housing of the outboardmotor intermediate the pivotal connection and the propeller so that amaterial part 'of the resultant pull created by the tow is transmittedsubstantially directly to the propeller of the motor and not to the boattransom board. i

4. The structure defined in claim I wherein said tow line attachingmeans comprises structure having an opening for receptionof a part of atow line.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said tow line attachingmeans comprises loop-defining structure having an opening therethroughfor reception of a part of a tow line.

6. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said tow line attachingmeans comprises structure having an opening for reception of a part ofatow line.

7. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said tow line attachingmeans comprises loop-defining structure having 'an opening therethroughfor reception of a part of a'tow line.

8. In an outboard motor having a depending drive housing, pivotalsecuring means adjacent the other end of the housing for detachablyanchoring the motor to a boat transom for rearward upwardly swingingmovements of the propelling means equipped end of the housing, theimprovement comprising, in combination with the housing of tow lineattaching means on the housing intermediate the propelling means andpivotal securing means, said tow line attaching means comprising aportion extending-rearwardly of said housing and defining an opening forreception of part of a tow line.

9. An outboard motor having a depending drive shaft housing, propellingmeans adjacent one end of the housing, pivotal securing means adjacentthe other end of the housing for detachahly anchoring the motor to aboat transom for rearwardly upwardly swinging movements of the said oneend of the housing, and a tow line attaching means on said housingintermediate the propelling means and pivotal securing means, said towline attaching means comprising cooperating sections detachably securedto each other and surrounding said housing, and .a loop-definingstructure on one of said sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS

